The Los Angeles River #12: The River's Mouth In Long Beach

Greetings Canine Angelenos! 

Welcome to Part 12 of my dog-centric journey along the Los Angeles River. Today we'll explore the river's mouth which, for some reason, is at the opposite end of its head. We'll have to figure that one out later because we've got a lot to sniff today. Let's get started!

We ended Part 11 at Catalina Landing, a man-made lagoon that protects the Catalina Express terminal. To continue, we have to walk around the lagoon, about .4 miles on pavement.

Did you know that Catalina Express is dog friendly?

Once around, we'll walk beneath the Queensway Bridge, the river's last bridge before the ocean. It connects the downtown waterfront with the Port of Long Beach and has bike/pedestrian access.

I didn't count, but I've walked beneath about 100 bridges along the way.

Past the bridge, Golden Shore Rd. approaches the path until a rotary alters its course. Beyond the rotary is a parking lot; the perfect place to leave the car for this adventure. At the end of the lot is the entrance to Shoreline Aquatic Park.

Picturesque is the right way to describe this park.

Continuing straight on the shoreline path takes us past a half-acre of shady trees, plush grass, picnic tables, and benches where you can enjoy the cool ocean breeze. There's plenty of trash cans...but no poop bags. On the ocean side, a couple of short piers provide a good spot for fishing and watching the birds fly by.

A nice way to spend the morning.

The path u-turns just as Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor come into view, but the star attraction here is the Lions' Lighthouse For Sight. Built in 2000 with funds raised by the Long Beach Lions Club, the 65' tower is a symbol of the club's work helping the visually impaired - not an official navigational aid.

Coolest...doghouse...ever. ;-p

The path now winds along the south end of Rainbow Harbor, past a small beach, then ends at Pierpoint Landing - about a mile from where we started.

Tiny, but it's not the size of the beach in the park...or something like that.

Here you'll find restrooms, a snack bar, and a dog-friendly water fountain. Not far from the restrooms is the Long Beach Navy Memorial; dedicated in 2004 to commemorate the city's long relationship with the Navy.

Armillary Sphere? Looks like a ball to me.

After a cool drink, walk along the wooden boardwalk that circumnavigates Rainbow Harbor. This is the place to be if you're looking to rent or ride a boat. Along the way we'll pass the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Pine Avenue Pier, and a variety of shops and restaurants.

Can you imagine a boat going up the LA River?

The boardwalk ends near the base of an observation deck that connects with Convention Center Walkway, a pedestrian bridge over E. Shoreline Dr.. Climb the stairs and enjoy the view.

Bell or spaceship? I can't decide.

Now walk across the bridge and get a great view of Long Beach's waterfront shopping and entertainment district.

Outdoor events around here are often dog-friendly.

About halfway across the bridge, a spiral staircase takes us down to Rainbow Lagoon Park, a 12 acre sea-water filled pond with two small islands. A concrete path goes around the pond - connected to the islands by footbridges. Small trees line the path and plush grass is everywhere. It's kind of a "decorative" park, so no water or poop bags here.

My album cover?

When ready, exit the park near the footbridge closest to E. Shoreline Dr. (at the crosswalk). Cross to access Shoreline Village Dr.. To our left is Marina Green Park, a wide strip of grass that runs toward the beach for just under 1/2 mile.

What's not to like about 9 acres of plush grass?

Shoreline Village Dr. soon ends at the city owned Long Beach Shoreline Marina, where there are over 1,700 slips for recreational boats.

I think I want a boat, but Pack Leader says no I don't.

Follow the smell of food along the shoreline and you'll soon be in Shoreline Village, a replica old-school fishing village full of shops and restaurants.

New England meets Southern California.

Grab a snack for yourself and the dog then stroll down the bike/pedestrian path that stretches along the marina. This .6 mile path takes us to, perhaps, the best view of the Queen Mary there is.

The views around Long Beach's harbor are unique to say the least.

Along the way there are benches to sit on, piers to fish from, and nice grass to roll in. There are plenty of restrooms and trash cans too, but no water fountains and...you guessed it...no poop bags. The trail ends by the Harbor Master's office, across from Grissom Island.
 

From here the ships, and the river's water, head out to sea.

That's as far as we go on this side of the river's mouth, but we have one more place to visit before we're done - the South Waterfront. It's time to head back to the car and drive over the Queensway Bridge.

Welcome to the Port of Long Beach

You can access the bridge from Shoreline Dr. or Ocean Bl.. Once on the bridge, stay to the right and take the first exit. Stay to the right again because you'll soon exit onto Queensway Dr.. After a u-turn, a Residence Inn will be ahead on the left. Just prior to the hotel is the entrance to the South Shore Boat Launch. Enter the boat launch and park at the north end of the lot, away from the hotel.

Here we'll find a tiny park with picnic tables spread out along the shoreline. The grass is nice, small trees provide some shade, and a short path winds throughout. There are trash cans but no poop bags.

Tiny and hard to get to, but the location is nice.

Exit the park and walk a few hundred yards on the sidewalk; toward the hotel. Another tiny park with benches sits on the shoreline, but this one has restrooms, a water fountain, and the boat launch.

This public boat launch is open 24 hours.

Past the boat launch, near the entrance to the hotel, a concrete path leads you to the shoreline. In a moment, we'll pass beneath the Queensway Bridge again.

A good spot to take five and enjoy the cool ocean air.

Continuing on, the path winds between the river's mouth and the Maya hotel, offering amazing views of the Long Beach waterfront and the mountains beyond.

The marina and the condos along Ocean Bl.

The path ends at Queensway Dr., in front of the yacht club, .4 miles after it began.

If you don't belong to the yacht club, you can take the Aqua Bus!

About 200 feet up the sidewalk from here is the entrance to Harry Bridges Memorial Park (aka. Queen Mary Events Park). It's used for concerts, parties, and large events. It has restrooms, a large grassy field with a 1/4 mile loop path, and some incredible views. There are trash cans but no working water fountains or poop bags.

I've got the whole place to myself today.

The park is adjacent to a large parking lot and the home of one of Southern California's best known attractions, the Queen Mary. Dogs aren't allowed on board, but no visit to Long Beach is complete without a QM1 selfie...

Sometimes, even a Queen has to wear a leash.

Wow. It's done. I've traveled the entire river from the Valley to the LBC! It was so much more than I expected - all those parks and fun places to roll in the grass, the incredible scenery and intoxicating smells, the return of wildlife in many places...and it's changing all the time. A lot people are working hard to make the river something all Angelenos can be proud of. Part 1 of this adventure was written over a year ago and so much has happened since. I'll have to do this again soon.




See you on the river!

Chloe Canine-Angeleno







Some of the information I've shared in this blog was found at:


City of Long Beach

Long Beach Press-Telegram




All photographs were taken by my pack leader, Jim Gross.

Everything else was discovered by getting my paws dirty and the extensive use of my nose.

For pictures and information about the places I've visited upstream, click on the links below:

Part 1 - Western San Fernando Valley

Part 2 - Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area

Part 3 - Eastern San Fernando Valley

Part 4 - Burbank and Glendale

Part 5 - Glendale Narrows East

Part 6 - Glendale Narrows West

Part 7 - Downtown Los Angeles and Vernon

Part 8 - Vernon to South Gate

Part 9 - South Gate to North Long Beach

Part 10 - North Long Beach to the PCH

Part 11 - Pacific Coast Highway to Pacific Ocean
 

The Los Angeles River #11: From the Pacific Coast Highway to the Pacific Ocean

Greetings Canine Angelenos! 

Welcome to Part 11 of my dog-centric look at the Los Angeles River. In Part 10, I made it as far south as the Pacific Coast Highway, where I'll resume the journey today.

Try to get an early start. The bike path gets HOT by late morning!

*** Subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, or visit my website to see everyplace I've visited on this adventure and much more! ***



The first mile of today's trek on the LARIO Trail takes us past industrial, warehouse sized buildings to the east, and great views of the cranes in the Port of Long Beach, beyond the river to the west. Along the way we'll go under the Anaheim St. bridge.

There's trail access and parking at the end of W. Anaheim St.

As you approach the next bridge, where the 710 freeway crosses the river, there's an access point near the corner of DeForest Ave. and Chester Place. Get off the bike path and walk a 1/4 mile up Chester Place. 

Why did we get off the trail? Because there's a park to visit...and why in the world wouldn't we do that?

Drake Park is the outdoor heart of Wilmore City, one of Long Beach's oldest neighborhoods. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, handball courts, a skate park, and a lighted baseball field to play on.

Left field is excellent for rolling today.

There's also a community center, a playground, restrooms, water fountains and a group of gazebos with picnic tables...but no poop bag dispensers.

Col. Charles Drake donated land for the park in 1904.

When you're done enjoying the park, head back to the LARIO. Soon you'll walk beneath the W. 7th St. on-ramp to the 710 North.

South of 7th St. is what many people consider to be Downtown Long Beach.

About 1/4 mile past the ramp, a road appears on the left. Get off the LARIO again and head down that road, which is open to bikes and pedestrians only. Walk through the 7th St. tunnel then turn right onto Golden Ave.
 

Why did we get off the trail last time?

Stay on Golden as it bends right, then walk beneath the 6th St. off ramp. Ahead of you will be Cesar Chavez Park.

You knew the answer, didn't you?

Opened in 1999, Chavez Park's almost 12 acres are filled with beautiful trees, public gardens, and unique art exhibits alongside a variety of facilities for the locals.

I found a community center, an amphitheater, basketball courts, three playgrounds, a restroom, water fountains and picnic benches...but no poop bags (sigh).

There's a lot of stuff for the humans to do here.

When you're ready, return to the LARIO by retracing your steps. This can be a little confusing. Look for the great murals on 6th St. and walk past them on Golden or 6th until you reach 7th St.

Once you've resumed walking south on the LARIO, you'll see Shoreline Dr. to your left. The grassy median in the middle of the road is also part of Chavez Park but there's no public access to it. There are plans to provide access from the Shoemaker bridge...some day. Shoreline Dr. breaks away to the left just as we approach the Ocean Bl. bridge.

A nice spot to watch pelicans dive into the river in search of breakfast.

Not long after you pass the bridge, the bike path takes a sharp turn to the left along the fenced border of the Golden Shore Marine Reserve. 

The protected reserve is off-limits so I'll have to sniff through the fence.

The reserve is over 6 acres of bird-filled tidal wetland, created in 1997 to mitigate for habitat lost during construction of the Aquarium of The Pacific.

An RV park sits next to the bike path before it bends right, hugging the reserve's border fence. Once we pass a small, metered (must have quarters!) parking lot on the left, a very special sign appears beneath our paws...

Do I get a cookie for finishing he whole trail? I should.

Mile marker 51! The end of the Los Angeles River Bikeway! The last stop on this yet to be completed strip of asphalt and concrete that began in Canoga Park. It finally ends here...just sniffing distance from the ocean in Long Beach. That was a looooong walk.


To the right of the marker, a dirt trail takes you into Palm Beach Park. The park is, for the most part, a parking lot for employees at CSU's Office of the Chancellor. However, a concrete path with info signs runs close to the parked cars for a few hundred yards, providing for some great views of the marine preserve.

What sea bird wouldn't like to spend some time here?

After that, the path stays close to the river as the largest open area in the park spreads between you and the cars. This marks the border of the park, at the edge of Catalina Express' boat launch. It's a good place to lie in the grass and enjoy some cool ocean breezes.

BTW - the boat to Catalina Island is dog friendly.

A staircase at the end of the path leads to a walkway that goes around the boat launch. To your right is the end of that walkway and the perfect place to watch the river flow beneath the Queensway Bridge and disappear into the ocean.

Bye bye LA River! It's been fun walking to the sea with you.

This is the end of the line for the Los Angeles River but it's not the end of our journey. Coming soon, I'll check out all the fun things there are to do around the mouth of the river, including a stroll through Rainbow Harbor and a visit with the Queen! Until then...

Does anyone know why a river's mouth at the opposite end of its head? No seriously - because I have no idea.




 

See you on the river!

Chloe Canine-Angeleno 











Some of the information I've shared in this blog was found at:


City of Long Beach

Long Beach Press-Telegram




All photographs were taken by my pack leader, Jim Gross.

Everything else was discovered by getting my paws dirty and the extensive use of my nose.

For pictures and information about the places I've visited upstream of the PCH, click on the links below:

Part 1 - Western San Fernando Valley

Part 2 - Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area

Part 3 - Eastern San Fernando Valley

Part 4 - Burbank and Glendale

Part 5 - Glendale Narrows East

Part 6 - Glendale Narrows West

Part 7 - Downtown Los Angeles and Vernon

Part 8 - Vernon to South Gate

Part 9 - South Gate to North Long Beach

Part 10 - North Long Beach to the PCH

The Los Angeles River #10: Long Beach from Del Amo Bl. to The PCH

Greetings fellow Canine Angelenos!

Welcome to Part 10 of my dog-centric look at the Los Angeles River.


[Subscribe to this blog, follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and visit my website to see everyplace I've visited on this trek and more!]
 


In Part 9, I made it to Long Beach, the 11th and final city I'll visit on this journey. Today I'll continue walking south toward the sea on the LARIO Trail, beginning at the Del Amo Bl. bridge.
 

Starting to see more seabirds - I must be getting close.

As soon as you pass Del Amo, the Dominguez Gap Wetlands come into view. You can access a loop trail from the bike path or from a spur trail just east of the bridge. There is parking near the spur trail or you can park near the south end and take a short equestrian trail into the wetlands.

So peaceful...you almost forget the 710 is just across the river.

Opened in 2008, the 37-acre wetlands are a flood protection and water treatment facility managed by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. An additional wetland area is on the west side of the 710, but safe access wasn't available as of July 2015, so we'll have to check that out another time.

Flood control & habitat restoration working together.

The mile-long "park" is full of native plants and has two wildlife observation decks, info signs, and benches along the trail. Water fountains, trash cans and poop bag dispensers can be found near the entrances too.

Of course the birds love this place, but they aren't the only wildlife around. Watch out for the coyotes. They may be our canine cousins but they're not here to make friends - make sure your pack has you on a leash.

I see you hiding over there Mr. Coyote

After you've done the loop around the wetlands, return to the bike path and look across the river to see its confluence with Compton Creek.

 The creek flows here from South LA, over 8 miles away.

Continue south on the bike path. Soon you'll walk beneath the Blue Line rail bridge that runs between the Del Amo and Wardlow Metro stations.

Why aren't Blue Line trains blue?

The equestrian trail that runs intermittently alongside the bike path in south Los Angeles County reappears once you pass the Blue Line. When I'm doing an out-and-back adventure like today's, I like to take the bike path one direction and the equestrian trails on the other. You just never know what you might find on the horse path..

Those horses look a lot like rabbits to me :-p

About 1/2 mile south of Dominguez Gap is the 405 Freeway. A short asphalt path branches off the bike path and provides an up-close view of the freeway before rejoining the bike path.

Just beyond the 405, a staircase leads toward the east end of Baker St.. At the bottom of the stairs, a fence blocks access to the street. I can see a small park a few hundred yards up Baker St. but you can't get there from here. I hope this situation is temporary.

A few more minutes of walking alongside an open field which could (should) be parkland takes me beneath the Wardlow Rd. bridge.

Nature is slowly returning to its rightful place by the river.

There's no access to the bike path at Wardlow, but a pathway to the west end of 34th St. appears shortly. Walk down to the street and check out the Earth Day Gate. The gate, dedicated on Earth Day 2007, was made by Michael Amescua, whose iron work is seen all over Los Angeles.

I'd like one of Mr. Amescua's gates on my doggie door.

From 34th St. to Willow St., just under a mile to the south, the Wrigley Greenbelt separates the bike path from DeForest Ave. What was once unused LA County Flood Control District land has been converted to green space. A fence prevents access to the greenbelt from the bike path but you can see it up close from DeForest Ave.

I know what the sign says...it's part of the Wrigley Greenbelt

Just north of the Willow St. bridge, near the access ramp to 26th St. and DeForest Ave. (another good place to park), turn around and look at the concrete channel that stretches north into Los Angeles...say "goodbye".

The last stretch of the concrete riverbed.

Now turn around and walk under the bridge. Before you is the Willow Street Estuary which marks the end of the river's concrete cage and where it returns to its natural, soft-bottomed state. The change is sudden and dramatic.

The estuary is the end of the line for any 'snacks' swimming upstream.

The mile long walk between Willow St. and the Pacific Coast Highway is a beautiful vision of what the river could be someday - alive with plants and birds and fish. I could feel the cool ocean breezes while I watched pelicans diving for breakfast; some crazy little black and white birds following them around hoping for scraps. It was awesome.

Mother Nature is much better at this than people are...just sayin'

Continuing south, you'll see a path that takes you to the corner of 25th St. and DeForest Ave. and, about 1/2 mile south of Willow, some stairs that provide access via another path at Hill St. 

Almost 1/2 mile beyond Hill St., the bike path dips and bends as it goes beneath the Pacific Coast Highway.
 

The PCH: one of the best roads to hang your head out the window on.

Just yards past the PCH is a popular access point. Go through the gate onto the street and turn immediately to your left. Straight ahead will be the entrance to Cressa Park. 

This tiny park goes north from here to 19th St. and was an abandoned, trash filled lot until 2010, when volunteers turned it into a refuge for birds, bugs, and native plants.

Every little piece of green space helps.

This seems like a great place to end today's trek and to take a cookie break. I'll pick it up from the PCH next time in the next chapter of my journey to the sea. Until then...


See You On The LA River!


Chloe Canine-Angeleno 





Some of the information I've shared in this blog was found at:


City of Long Beach

Los Angeles County Public Works

KCET

LA Creek Freek


All photographs were taken by my pack leader, Jim Gross.

Everything else was discovered by getting my paws dirty and the extensive use of my nose.

For pictures and information about the places I've visited upstream of Del Amo Bl., click the links below:

Part 1 - Western San Fernando Valley

Part 2 - Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area

Part 3 - Eastern San Fernando Valley

Part 4 - Burbank and Glendale

Part 5 - Glendale Narrows East

Part 6 - Glendale Narrows West

Part 7 - Downtown Los Angeles and Vernon

Part 8 - Vernon to South Gate
   
Part 9 - South Gate to North Long Beach